Hell of the North

This morning I went to watch my brothers in a bike race called The Hell of the North. I've heard rumors that Hell is actually freezing cold and not the fiery furnace that most of us think of. If those rumors are true, then this race lived up to its name. My brother Mark is the one in the middle with the short shorts, red vest and white blocks on his shoulders.



As you can see, the race started out pretty cold and wet. As the group came around, lap by lap, it got colder and snowier...

and the guys got muddier.

I think at this point, Mark was about in tears -- I know I would have been.

Poor Steve got a flat tire right at the start of the race. He was a little behind, but stayed determined to finish. He was flying by so fast every time he rounded the corner that it was hard to get a good shot of him.

And the snow pressed on...

Mark came in with the first group to cross the finish line...

And Steve followed shortly.

All in all, it was an awesome day and I was proud of my two big brothers. They have such determination and athleticism. They finished cold, muddy, and tired. WAY TO GO GUYS!!